Edith Borroff

Edith Borroff (August 2, 1925 – March 10, 2019) was an American musicologist and composer. Her compositions include over 60 commissioned works, including pieces for the stage; for her primary instrument—the organ; choral, vocal, and orchestral music; and several critical editions of works by previous composers such as Jubilate by J.-J. Cassanéa de Mondonville (Pittsburgh, 1961). She also wrote at least 7 books, including the textbook Music in Europe and the United States: a History (Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1971/R), as well as various peer-reviewed articles and publications.

Life and career Borroff was born in New York City, the daughter of professional musicians Marie Bergerson and (Albert) Ramon Borroff, Her dissertation was titled The instrumental works of Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville.

In a 2011 interview with the American Composers Alliance, Borroff shared that she had always considered herself a composer. She started composing at a very young age. According to her, she was not allowed to pursue a degree in composition and settled for a degree in historical musicology but continued to compose and had over 60 commissions as a composer.

An extensive, yet selective, list of her works appears in the biographical article on Borroff in the Oxford Music Online/Grove Music dictionary accessible from most privatized university library databases. Her Concerto for Marimba and Small Orchestra was premiered with that university's orchestra in 1981, with Alex Jacobowitz as marimba soloist and Paul Jordan as conductor.

Borroff retired from teaching in 1992. Her papers are housed at the Newberry Library. She died in Durham, North Carolina on March 10, 2019.

Works Source: Music of the Baroque (Dubuque: W.C. Brown, 1970) Music in Europe and the United States: a History (Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1971/R) ed.: Notations and Editions: a Book in Honor of Louise Cuyler (Dubuque, IA, 1974/R) with M. Irvin: Music in Perspective (New York, 1976) Three American composers (Lanham: University Press of America, 1986) American Operas: A Checklist (Warren, Mich.: Harmonie Park Press, 1992) Music Melting Round: a History of Music in the United States (New York: Ardsley House, 1995) William Grant Still (was cited as forthcoming per Regier)